The moment Alpha's Transformable Duel Disc activated, a wave of transparency spread out, like a pale blue barrier covering the entire field.
Yugen instantly recognized this was similar technology to the Duel Disc Kaiba used last time.
A Scientific Dark Duel?
Yugen frowned slightly.
He knew that the Taiyi Organization in 5DS also had similar technology, but those guys were from the future. Besides Kaiba, did anyone else in this era have such technology?
He began to grow curious about the opponent's background.
"Alright then."
Yugen also unfolded his Duel Disc.
"Duel!" x2
[Yugen, LP 4000]
[Alpha, LP 4000]
"I'll take the first move, draw."
Yugen revealed a card from his hand.
"Continuous Magic 'Peaceful Envoy.' All monsters on the field with an attack power of 1500 or more cannot declare an attack."
Similar to 'Super Gravity Net' and 'Level Restriction B Zone,' it's also an early common attack lockdown card. However, this card is more flexible. It requires the user to pay 100 Life Points during each of their standby phases to maintain, or they can choose not to pay and let it be destroyed.
This allows the user to lift the lockdown during any turn they wish.
"Starting with an attack lockdown, huh?" Alpha folded his arms with a sneer. "Are you that afraid of my deck's power?"
Yugen didn't respond, just smiled and continued, "Then I activate the Magic Card 'Handwriting Erasure.' Both players discard their entire hands and then draw the same number of cards."
Alpha drew new cards while observing Yugen's expression after drawing his.
Is this replacement card searching for a specific card or combination?
"Cover one monster in the front row," Yugen said, "then set a card face-down. Turn ends."
"Huh, looks like you didn't find the combination you wanted? Then be crushed under my power!
My turn, draw!"
Alpha waved his hand.
"Normal Summon 'Giant Dragon Paladin'!"
A blond swordsman appeared on the field, his white cape billowing behind him.
[Giant Dragon Paladin, Attack Power 1700]
"When this card is successfully summoned, equip a Level 7 to 8 Dragon Race from hand or deck as an Equipment Card to this card."
Alpha retrieved a card from his deck.
"Equip the Level 7 Dragon Race 'Arc Light Brave Dragon' from the deck."
A shimmering dragon's phantom appeared, clinging to the knight's blade like a dragon soul.
"Then activate the Continuous Magic 'Giant Divine Dragon's Relics'!" Alpha declared.
The sculpture of a giant divine dragon appeared on the field, surrounded by what looked like a dilapidated divine hall.
"Once per turn, send a face-up card other than this card from the field to the graveyard to Special Summon a 'Giant Dragon Derivative.'
I send the equipped 'Arc Light Brave Dragon' to the graveyard to Special Summon 'Giant Dragon Derivative'!"
[Giant Dragon Derivative, Defense Power 0]
"Then 'Giant Dragon Paladin's' follow-up effect, sacrifice one monster on my field and this card to Special Summon a Level 7 to 8 Dragon Race from the graveyard.
Therefore I sacrifice 'Giant Dragon Paladin' and 'Giant Dragon Derivative.' The soul of the Shining Dragon is reborn—
—Level 7, Arc Light Brave Dragon, Summon!"
Both the knight and the derivative vanished from the field, and from the dazzling light emerged the form of a dragon, the Shimmering Giant Dragon descended amid the scattering light points.
[Arc Light Brave Dragon, Attack Power 2400]
"So it's this deck...," Yugen said, stroking his chin.
He had seen this deck when he last visited Kaiba Company, developed by their research team as a derivative series themed on the Eight-Star Dragon Race 'Shimmering Giant Dragon,' the latest powerhouse Dragon Race deck.
But this deck had only recently been created and wasn't yet for sale, even within the Kaiba Group.
Yugen became increasingly intrigued by who this opponent might be.
"Arc Light Brave Dragon is successfully special summoned from the graveyard, banish all face-up Spell and Trap Cards on the opponent's field!" Alpha shouted, "Let the Peace Envoy disappear!"
Radiant light burst from the dragon's body, sweeping the Peace Envoy from the back row into the dimension beyond.
"Moreover, for each card banished by this effect, Arc Light Brave Dragon's attack power increases by 200!"
[Arc Light Brave Dragon, Attack Power 2400→Attack Power 2600]
"Now the attack lockdown is lifted; such a simple tactic is useless against my Shining Dragon!"
Alpha laughed heartily.
"Battle! Crush! Arc Light Brave Dragon, attack the covered monster!"
Arc Light Brave Dragon opened its mouth, releasing a dazzling brilliance. The flipped monster was a red-skinned blacksmith.
[Master Craftsman Kotetsu, Defense Power 500]
"The monster you attacked is 'Master Craftsman Kotetsu,'" Yugen said. "When this card is flipped, I can add an Equipment Magic from my deck to my hand."
He drew a card from his deck.
"I add the Equipment Magic 'Butterfly Short Sword - Echo' to my hand."
If the students from the Academy who had seen this 'Butterfly Short Kill' strategy in action before were here, they would probably be breaking into a sweat at this point, yet the opponent didn't realize the severity of the situation.
"Then end the Battle Phase, set three cards face-down to the field."
Alpha's back row revealed three covered cards.
"Then activate the Continuous Magic 'Nightmare Mirage Tower' from my hand! During the opponent's Standby Phase, I can draw cards from my deck until my hand reaches four cards!"
Yugen glanced at the opponent's three set cards in the back row.
It seems those cards might be set to enhance the number of draws.
Blindly guessing, at least one might be Emergency Food...
"By the way, 'Giant Divine Dragon's Relics' has another effect," Alpha sneered. "When there's a Level 7 to 8 Dragon Race on my field, among our Special Summoned monsters, only monsters Special Summoned from the graveyard can activate Monster Effects.
Monsters Special Summoned from anywhere other than the graveyard have their effects negated for the turn they're summoned!"
Yugen nodded slightly, "That's quite troublesome."
"Hmph," Alpha scoffed with arms folded, "If you don't want to be utterly defeated, you still have time to surrender and join us."
Yugen observed Alpha's posture and demeanor thoughtfully.
"Have you noticed that the way you talk, and some of your actions... they're a bit like Seto Kaiba?"
"Oh? You've noticed already?"
Alpha chuckled.
"That's right. I am... "
"President Kaiba's fanatic?" Yugen interrupted.
"That's right, I am Seto Kaiba's devout fan... damn it!"
Alpha, nearly led away by the conversation, growled with irritation.
"Nonsense! I am the latest generation AI modeled after Seto Kaiba, codenamed Alpha. Seto Kaiba is destined to be replaced by us, and we will lead the Kaiba Group back to the right path!"
Yugen: "..."
Upon hearing this villainous declaration, Yugen's first reaction wasn't shock or awe, but the instinctive urge to utter that old saying.
If only there were a single peanut...